Apparatus for treating petroleum-oils.



wijf; M McqAnw'. -APPABAIUS f'olmgum Pzoleun ons. Arrqcmall min man. 191s.

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w. F. M MCCARTY. APPARATUS FOR TREATING PETROLEUM OILS.

APPLICATION FILED Aus. l1. |916.

1,274,913.2- 1 PatenaAu-g.6,191&

v l 4 f7 3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

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si ////IA )KIVI/@Cary y of treating crude petroleum or a petroleum WILLIAM F. MASON-1VICCARTY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

APPARATUS' ron TREATING PETROLEUM-OILS.

` land, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in, Apparatus for Treating Petroleum-Oils,`of which the following is a specification.

rl'his invention relates to apparatus adapted to be used in practising a process oil or fraction having a higlier boiling point than gasolene, to produce an increased yield of gasolene and more or less similar volatile hydrocarbons adapted for use as motor fuels, while not' necessarily restricted to such use.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which is reliable and expeditious in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus ofthe above mentioned character, having efficient and novel agitating means, for preventing the deposits of carbon or the like upon the interior of a heating or cracking tube included therein, and for maintaining the gases within the tube in a state of constant agitation so that these gases will have substantially the same temperature as the heated tube.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be a parent during the Vcourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals 'are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus.

preferably employed in the practice of vmy process,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through a retort, taken on linelv 2-2 of Fig. 3, A

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View throughthe retort,

Fig. 4 is a similar view through the lower end of the retort, the upper portion thereof being broken away,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a similar View taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragillnentary s'ectional view through the crac 'ngor heat- Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatented Aug. 6, 1918.

Application inea August 17, 191s. serial No. 115,514.

ing tube, showing agitating means arranged therein, and,

` Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

In the drawings,.wherein for-the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, .the numeral 15 designates a closed receptacle, to the upper end 'of whichl is connected an oilv supply pipe 16. This pipe 16 is equipped with a cut olf valve'17. A. water supply pipe 18- is also connected with the upper end of the receptacle 15 and has a cut o" valve 19. Leading into the upperend of the receptacle l5 and extending therein to terminate near and spaced from its bottom, is a steam supply pipe 20, having a cut olf valve 21. The receptacle 15 is provided at its bottom with a water draw-off or drain pipe 22, having a cut off valve 23; Connected with the receptacle 15, `preferably near its lower end, is a take off pipe 2%, leading into a superheater 25, and having connection with the lower end of a coil 26 thereof. The upper end of the coil 26 is connected with a pipe 27, for a purposeto be described. v

The pipe 27 is'provided with a plurality of branches 28, leading into retorts 29. As more clearly shown in Fig. 3, each branch 28 is equipped with a cut-off valve 30.

32 designates a heat generating device, such as oil or gas burners, adapted to provide ,flames which project inwardly within the casing 31, as'is obvious. The fuel is supplied to the burners 32 through a pipe'33 or the like.

Extending longitudinally and centrally within tle casing 31 is an mclosing conduit 33', which is preferably square in cross-section and formed of heat resisting material., This conduit is heldin place by spacing elements 34, as shown. The upper end o the inclosing conduit 33 is open and in free communication with the interior of the retort casing 31, while its lower -end is closed and connected with an outlet 35,l in turn connected with a stack 36. Extend-l ing' longitudinally within the c onduit 33 is a cracking tube 37, the upper end of which is provided with a cap 38.

The numeral 39 designatesa sleeve, pro- Y wardly, for spraying the oil.

ranged beneath the cap 38 and upon the up per flanged end of the vtube 37. These flanges are secured together by bolts 41 or the like. The lower end .of the tube 1s provided with a casting or nozzle 42, having an outlet opening 43, which flares down- I Leading 1nto the outlet opening 43 is a vapor or hydrogen supply pipe 44, having a cut ofi valve 45.` The vaporized oil and hydrogen, which become intimately mixed in the openlng of the nozzle 42, pass downwardly and lmplnge against a curved stationary baffle plate 46, which deflects the-'gaseous mixture laterally into the upper end of the cracking tube 37.

Extending longitudinally within the cracking tube 37 is a reciprocatory and rotatable rod 47, to which are secured scraplng elements 48, which are formed partly or wholly of catalytic material, such' as nickel, while other catalytic material may beemployed. The rod 47 is journaled through a suitable bearing 49, and the lower end of this rod carries annular flanges or dlsks 50, rigidly secured thereto. Arranged between the anges 50 is a cam 51, carried by a shaft 52. The shaft 52 is driven by a bevel gear 53, (see Fig. 4) engaging a bevel gear 54, carried by a shaft .55, which receives its rotation fromv any suitable source of power. Splined upon the shaft 47 is a sleeve 56, adapted to rotate with the shaft, but does not partake of longitudinal movement and permits of the free reciprocatory movement ofthe shaft 47. The sleeve 56 has a worm gear 57, rigidly attached thereto, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, and this worm wheel is driven by a worm 58, carried by the shaft l 59. The shaft 59 is rotated by any suitable means and at a desired speed.

l Connected with the lower end of the cracking tube 37, as more clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is an enlarged collecting chamber 60, in the bottom of which is mountedV to rotate a fanv 61. This fan is carried by the sleeve- 56.' and rotates therewith. The scraping elements 48, by their combined rotatable and reciprocatory movements, serve to remove the carbon deposits from the interior of the cracking tube 37, and these deposits, together with more or less uncracked oil, gravitate into the chamber 60 tank 63. The carbon with the oil, which` and are subjected to the action of the rotating fan 61.l The carbon deposits, With more or less oil, discharge from the chamber 60, through a conduit 62, into a holding passes into the tank 63, are allowed to settle and ,the oil may be withdrawn through a pipe 64, having a cut off valve while the carbon gravitates into a trap v65, having a door.66, and may be removed therefrom.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 3, each chamber 60 has a vapor or gas voutletpipe 67, leading into the upper portion thereof,

with a bale 67' disposed in advance of the same. The products of distillation are withdrawn through the pipe -67 and the baffle 67 prevents the carbon or solid deposits from passing over with the products of distillation. 60, is an oil draw-off pipe 68, the intake end of which is arranged near and above the fan 61. The pipe 68 has a cut ofl valve 69. The uncracked oil and carbon, in the chamber 60, tends to separate to a certain extent, and the oil on top is withdrawn through the pipe 68. The oil in the pipe 68 may bepumped back into the shell 15 and again treated by passing through the apparatus.

The take oii'pipes 67 for the gaseous products of distillation, ldischarge into a common pipe 70, which conduct thegases to traps 71, for depriving the same of water. The gases are then passed by the pipe 70 into a coil 72 of a condenser. The lower end of the coil 72 discharges into a. trap 74, wherein the condensed gases are collected and may be withdrawn through a. pipe 75. The gases which do not condense discharge from the trap 74 into a pipe 75, which leads into a gas holding tank 76.

In the operation of the apparatus, the oil, such as crude petroleum oil, is introduced into the closed receptacle 15 through the pipe 16, and the-valve 17 is closed. The valve 19 is opened and water, in the proportions of five per cent. by weight of water with respect to the weight of oil, such Water containing five per cent. by Weight of an aluminum salt, such as alum, aluminum chlorid, or aluminum sulfate, is fed through the pipe 18 into the receptacle 15, in the presence of the oil. The valve 19 is closed and the valve 23 is also closed. The steam valve 21 is now opened,4 and super-heated steam preferably under a pressure of about 150 pounds to the square inch is introduced into the `receptacle 15 for a period of preferably from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. As a result of this action, the `oil and water are thoroughly agitated in the presence of heat and pressure and a mixture is produced. The formation of desired decomposition products during the cracking operation is materially aided by the prior treatment with steam and alum or other aluminum compounds as hereinbeforel described. The steam valve 21 is now closed and the contents of the receptacle 15 is allowed to settle so that the water may be withdrawn from the oil by opening the valve 23. It is obvious that the alumv in the presence of the water and oil, will serve as a refining agent, to drag down tarry matter and other impurities. This tarry matter and impu1ities Leading into each chamber stated. ThisA valve 23 is again closed, and 130 'ably under a pressure of 150 pounds per square inch, until the temperature of the oil is raised to preferably 250 to 300 C.v The valve 24 in the pipe 24 is now opened, and

' the pressure in the receptacle forces the oil into the super-heating coil 26, which is preferably maintained at a temperature of 400 C. In the super-heating coil, the oil is vaporized and discharges through the pipe 27. This vaporized oil then passes to the several retorts, for treatment therein, and such treatment in only one retort w1ll be given, since the operation of the several retorts are identical. By turning to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the gasiied oil discharges through the pipe 28 into the tube 39, and then passes into the nozzle 42. In this nozzle the gasified oil is intimately mixed fwith incoming hydrogen gas supplied through the pipe 44, and this mixture of the gaseous oil and hydrogen gas impinge upon the baiile plate 46. The hydrogen gas isl preferably supplied to the gaseous oil in the proportions of one part by weight of hydrogen to ve hundred parts by weight of the gaseous oil. yThe proportions of hydrogen should be suiicient to saturate the unsaturated molecules in the gaseous oil and an excess of hydrogen should be used. The

Y gaseous mixture discharges into the cracking tube 37 which is prefera ly maintained at a constant temperature of.600 C. -While be-v ing subjected to the'action 'of heat within the cracking tube, this mixture is also subjected to the action of a catalytic agent, preferably in the form of the nickel agitating elements 48. The pressure in the cracking tube is preferably maintained at about 50 pounds to the square inch. 'While the gaseous mixture is undergoing treatment in the cracking tube, as above indicated, the rod 4 7 is constantly. reciprocated vand rotated at suitable speeds. The agitating elements 48 keep the gaseous mixture in a suitable state of agitation, whereby they are maintained at the uniform temperature of the tube. 37, to wit, '600 C. The agita-ting elements 48, by reciprocating and rotating in close proximity tothe inner wall of the tube 37, serve to remove therefrom the` carbon deposits, which gravitate into the chamber 61, with more or less uncracked oil, and the same are removed therefrom, as hereinabove explained. Under the above stated condi-v tions of treatment, the oil or the petroleum material, is decomposed with the production of the maximum yield of gasolene like materials, benzin and toluene and' the minimum yield of gas, carbon, and tarry matters.

These gaseous products of distillation are withdrawn and conducted through the pipe 67, and passthrough the traps 71, to remove then pass into the coil 72 of the condenser,

wherein the condensed hydrocarbons are separated from the gaseous hydrocarbons. The condensed hydrocarbons are collected within the trap 74 and may be removed therefrom tothe pipe 75, while the gaseous hydrocarbons pass through the pipe 75 into the gas holding tank 76.

The process stated in this application in explaining the operation of the apparatus, is not claimed herein, but the sameis disclosed` and claimed in my copending application for process of treating petroleum oils, filed August 17th,'1916, Serial No. 115,513.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withouty departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope` of the sub.- joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: i

1. In apparatus of the character described, anl upstanding cracking tube, a heating shell surrounding the cracking tube, an inclosing conduit arranged within the heating shell and surrounding the cracking tube and having one end thereof in free com- 'munication with the interior of the heating shell, a flue for the escape of products of combustion having. communication with the opposite end of the inclosingconduit, heat mg shell, means for supplying oil and hydrogen into the upper end of the cracking tube, mechanically operated agitating means arranged within the cracking tube, a collect'- ing chamber connected with the lower end of the cracking tube, and draw-olil means connected with the collecting chamber.

2. In apparatus of the character de-A scribed, a substantially vertical cracking generating devices arranged within the heattube, means for supplying oil and hydrogen into the upper end of the cracking tube, a collecting chamber connected with the lower end of the cracking tube, a gas draw oil' pipe connected with the upper portion of the collecting chamber, a draw oli' pipe for liquids lll connected with the upper end of the chamber, a lower draw off pipe connected with the lower end of the collecting chamber, a reciprocatory and rotatable shaft Aextending throughvthe cracking tube and chamber, a fan connected with the shaft to rota-te therewith and to allow the shaft. to move longitudinally with respect thereto and arranged within the lower portion of the chamber,

10 agitators connected with the shaft and arranged within the'craoking tube, means to In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. MASON MCCARTY.

Witnesses:

C. L. PARKER, ARTHUR'L. BRYANT. 

